Shelf elevating mechanism for food containers



Nov. 30, 1948. J. R. BAILEY 2,455,154

SHELF ELEVATING MECHANISM FOR FOOD CONTAINERS Filed July 19, 1 946 v :s sheets-sheet 2 J. R. BAILEY SHELFy ELEVATING MECHANISM FOR FOOD CONTAINERS -Filed July 19, 194e Nov. 30, 1948.

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l I m'eutar Attorneys mmmmmwmmwg Patented Nov. 30, 1948 AvUNITEDv STAT-Es m'rizlvfr OFFICE SHELF ELEV'ATING MECHANISM Fon FooD e ooiv'iuinvlms James R. Bailey, Fort Worth, Tex. Application July 19, 1946, Serial No. 684,836

1 Claim. 1 My invention relates to improvementsin shelf elevating mechanism for food containers especially, although not necessarily, stove ovens.

The invention is designed with the primary object in view of providing ecient, simply con-- y structed mechanism for elevating shelves and food containers `of the type having a lid, and which is motor operative, primarily, but adapted for optional operation by manual lifting of the lid.

' lid ovens of stoves, and in similar food containers without necessitating extensive alteration in the basic structure of such containers.

Other objects, together with'the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood `when'the succeeding description and claim are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings: u

Figure 1 is a view in transverse vertical section taken through a stove oven embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a view in section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. y

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section taken on'the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view in transverse vertical section illustrating a modified embodiment -of the' invention. Y q

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of a f ood holding structure for use on the shelf in the container.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, and rst to Figures 1 to 3, as exemplifying a preferred practice of my invention, my improved shelf elevating mechanism has been shownfas in a food container in the form of `an ven top oven lI of a gas stove 2, the oven I being. formed byginsulated back, bottom and front walls 3, 4, andv 5; and side walls 6. The usual horizontal, foraminous partition 8 forms the'bottomfof the o ven I and together with said walls 3, 4,=`and 5, a subjacent combustion chamber 9 in the stove 2, and in which is located a gas burner Ill and a drip pan II on supports I2. r

According to my invention, a flat, insulated lid I 3 is provided for the top of the oven I and which rests, when closed, on the front wallf`5 and ts between the side walls 6 and against the back Wall 3. A window I4 is provided in said lid I3 adjacent the front thereof for sighting into the oven I when the lid I3 is closed. A suitable handle I5 is provided on the front edge of the lid I3 for opening and closing said lid.

A pivot rod I'I is suitably extended through the rear edge portion of the lid I3 with the ends thereof vertically slidable and rotatable in a pair of vertical guide slots Il provided in the side walls 6 of the oven'l contiguous the back Wall 3, whereby said lid vI3 is swingable upwardly on said pivot rod I6 and slidable downwardly between the side walls I into fully opened position established by flat engagement thereof with the back wall 3, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

An arcuate series of lateral studs I8 is provided in the rear of the oven `I won each side wall l, and complemental series of lugs I9 on the bottom of the lid I3 -adjacent each side thereof, the studs I8 forming stepped-down rests adapted rto be engaged by the lugs I9 in different open positions of the lid I3, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1,

said lugs I9 having arcuate bottom faces adapting the same to slidably and rockably engage the studs I8 in the diiferent open positions of the lid I3. The function of the studs I8 and lugs I 9 is to lessen friction between the pivot rod I6 and the sides' of the slots` I'I, by providing successive sliding fulcrum points for the lid during opening thereof.

A counterweight 2U in the form of a heavy bar is extended through the lid I l3 transversely thereof and directly in front of thepivot rod I6, said counterweight facilitating opening of the lid I3 by counterbalancing the same at the rear thereof to assist downward sliding of said lid.

A grid-type shelf ZI for supporting food (not shown) is provided in the oven 1 and is mounted therein for vertical movement as follows:

The mounting for the shelf 2| comprises a, pair of cruciforrn slides 22 at opposite sides of the shelf, in the transverse center thereof, and formed in upper and lower sections 23, 24, between which said sides of the shelf 2I are interposed with the sections 23, 24 secured to the shelf, as by stove bolts 25. A pair of upper and lower rollers 26, 21 mounted on the sections 23, 24 of each slide 22 by horizontal pins 23 extend in and are conned between pairs of laterally spaced, vertical guide bars 29, of angle iron form, said pairs of bars 29 being provided at opposite sides of the oven I and spaced from the side walls 1 with upper and lower ends suitably fixed, by bracket plates 3U, to said side walls.

The lid I3 and shelf 2| are connected Itog-ether for elevating and lowering in unison. as follows: A pair of bell cranks 3l are provided in opposite sides of the oven I and are pivotally mounted for vertical rocking movement therein on studs 32 on the side walls 1 located adjacent to the rear w-all 3. The bell cranks 3l -comprise a pair of upper and lower, relatively long and short arms 33, 34. The long arms 33 are pivotally connected at the ends thereof,`as' at"'35; 'to angle bracket`s'36'suitably fixed to the underside of the lidfI3. The shorter arms 34 are connected at the ends thereof to the pins 28 `of the lower rollers 21 by links-3l pivoted to said shorter arms,.,asat 38,. and. swingable on said pins 28.

Power means for operating the bell cranks 3| is provided and now to be described.` The bell cranks 3| are provided, on thesides 4of the, studs 32 opposite to the arms 33, 34, with toothed seg- 4 the toothed segments 39, gear pinions 40 and the gears 43, 42.

In the modified embodiment of my invention shown in Figure 4, a frame 45 is provided in the top of the oven 46 for use in lieu of the lid 4l in raising and lowering the shelf. The frame 45 is pivotally mounted by a pivot rod 48, in guide slots 49 in the oven 46 for vertical swinging in the same manner as .the lid I3 ofthe-preferred embodiment sof" theV invention, and -said frame is operatively connected, as at 50, to the bell cranks, one of which is shown in Figure 4, to operate the same in the-same manner vas the lid I3 of the preferred embodiment of the invention. Thus, the lid 52 is ments 39 meshing with a pair of gearipinionSi-il fast on a cross shaft 4I in the rear of the oven I `having its ends suitably-j ournaledin the sidewalls 1. Aftransmission geanfa-st on :one endl of Ythe crossshaft 4I, outside the oven I, and alongside tone` side wall 1,meshes lwith,asm-aller drvegear 43 of a motor44 mounted on the stove 2 in any suitable manner. The motor V44 is designed to be ofthe reversibletype and to be connected, in any usual manner, to -a source of energy for control by a'reversingstarter switch, not sli-own.

`Referring now to the operation of the invention as so farfdescribed. Themotor44, when operat- ,ing in the proper direction, operates .the cross --shaft 4I,through the gearsg43, 42 t0 cause the .gear pinions- 40, through the toothed segments 39,

tofswing zthe bell .cranks 3|, upwardly and thus swingthe lid I3 .upwardly -so as to open the -same g.in.the.manner already described. z Such operation of the :bell .cranks 3I simultaneously elevates the shelf2| fromfa loweredpositiondnfthe bottomof .the oven I into an elevatedposition inithe upper .partiiof-saidoven- I, so thatifood deposited upon .the shelf A2| Yis Iwithineasy reach. and exposed .to full view. By then reversing the motor 44, the operations described l.are effected in reverse'andthe `V`lid swung downwardly into vlowered-closed position so that the shelf 2i is lowered into the botytom' of :the oven I. Any suitable :controls vfor the motor44 may beutilized to stop .the samewhen the lid I3+and shelf 2I are elevated orfloweredinto a desired position.

left free for opening or :closing at will without af- :fecting the shelf.

ceptible `of modication, jwithout departing from .the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved for oscillatingthe bell cranks.

,to 'such modiflcatitons-asfall Vwithin thescope of the appended claim.

yVihat I claimiS:

A food container having -an open top, a lid for said.toovertically:swingableto raise and lower the same,'pairs of verticalguide'bars in said container at opposite sides thereof and spaced apart `l laterally onl each pair, a pair of vvertically movable slides with rollers .thereon interposed be- .tween the pairsofguide bars, -a shelf in the con- `tical .oscillatingfvzmovement .and having'one end pivoted `to said lid, links `connecting the other ends of said bell cranksyto said slides andpower means JAMES R.v BAILEY.

, REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare ofrecord in the le of this patent:

Y `UNITED STATES PATENTS Number -Name Date 535,203 Horrocks `Mar, 5, 1895 --2l,220,677 Pattimore zMar. 27,1917 

